By PETER SUR
Tribune-Herald staff writer
Kei Inouye, the kumu hula of Japan’s Halau Hula O Lima Nani, had a grin a mile wide as she stood in her golden dress during Wednesday night’s Ho‘ike.
From the back of the stadium, beneath the picture of King Kalakaua, Inouye watched as members of her halau prepared to dance another number.
She indicated that the next hula — something that must have been practiced for months — was going to be something special. And then, on hula’s greatest stage, before an audience of thousands, the sound system fell silent.
But the dancers kept dancing. Nani Lim Yap sang her song at the front of the stage. The musicians stood behind them and played their instruments, which could barely be heard throughout the Edith Kanaka‘ole Stadium. Inouye watched the performance to the end, giving the performers a rousing applause. And the show continued.
When things went off-script, people stepped up their game. That was one of the many subplots of the 49th annual Merrie Monarch Festival.
A halau scheduled to perform at the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort made a sudden cancellation. In stepped Hula Halau Ke ‘Olu Makani O Mauna Loa, a Volcano halau whose kumu hula, Meleana Manuel, was pulling double duty as mo‘i wahine, or queen, of the festival.
“For us as a halau, I feel … it’s always a privilege if we have to fill in for anyone,” Manuel said Saturday, as she prepared to take her seat with the Royal Court.
The festival lived up to its billing as the world’s premier hula showcase, but it wasn’t just about hula.
Visitors flooded into the craft fairs, strolled through downtown Hilo and visited Hawaii Volcanoes National Park by the thousands. There were free concerts featuring some of Hawaii’s top musicians.
Topping it all was the Ho‘ike and three nights of competition.
“Tonight, I truly feel, more than ever before, that Hilo is the capital of the hula world,” said Olana Ai, kumu hula of Halau Hula Olana, around 1 a.m. Sunday.
There were 84 judged performances this year, spread out over three nights, and this year’s winners all shared a common hula lineage.
The late Maiki Aiu Lake was the kumu hula of such luminaries as Mapuana de Silva and Robert Cazimero.
De Silva is the kumu hula of Halau Mohala ‘Ilima, which this year produced Miss Aloha Hula 2012, Lilinoe Sterling.
Cazimero’s own halau, Halau Na Kamalei, graduated as kumu hula Manu Boyd, Michael Casupang and Karl Veto Baker. Boyd is the kumu of Halau o ke ‘A‘ali‘i Ku Makani, the overall wahine winner; Karl Veto Baker and Michael Casupang are the co-kumu hula of Halau I Ka Wekiu, the overall kane winner.
“Mahalo to the judges, and mahalo to my kumu, Robert Cazimero,” Boyd said.
One of his students, Noheahiwahiwa Stibbard, said the judges “saw us sharing our traditions, honoring our past, honoring our ali‘i and honoring our people.”
Joseph Hudoba, a member of Halau I Ka Wekiu, said he never expected his halau would win the Lokalia Montgomery Perpetual Trophy and an all-expense paid trip to Japan.
“I think we’ve learned to really not expect anything,” Hudoba said. “Really, it’s all about the journey to get here and sharing what we do.”
For all its strengths, this year’s festival was one of the most underrated in recent memory. For the past year, and especially in the last week, the chatter around town was that the 50th annual festival is going to be the grandest of the grand, a Merrie Monarch Jubilee. It’s the reason why many big-name halau have sat out the competition this year – they’ve already begun preparations for 2013.
Manuel, the mo‘i wahine, said her ceremonial reign was “a good step or a good setup for the next year, which is the Jubilee.” Next year’s festival begins March 31 and runs through April 6.
“We are really just gearing up for the 50th,” said Ai. “It’s to celebrate the 50th year of Merrie Monarch.”
Kimo Kahoano, the stadium announcer and TV commentator in his 32nd year with the festival, gave the final word.
“Next year we celebrate 50 years together!” he declared, his voice booming through the stadium. “We’ll see you next year, in the only place the Merrie Monarch Festival can happen, in Hilo, Hawaii!”
Email Peter Sur at psur@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
